The Fiat 128 was a small family car built by Fiat from 1969 to 1985. Engineered by Dante Giacosa with an engine designed by Aurelio Lampredi, it was the first mass-produced Fiat to use the transverse front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout that later became the industry standard. It was named European Car of the Year in 1970 and more than three million were eventually manufactured.
Fiat 128 at a glance
| Production | 1969–1985 |
|---|---|
| Bodies | two- and four-door saloon, three- and five-door estate, coupé |
| Engineering | Dante Giacosa |
| Engine design | Aurelio Lampredi |
| Engine | 1,116 cc overhead-cam four, 55 PS |
| Later engine | 1,290 cc, 60 PS in the 1974 Special |
| Layout | transverse front engine, front-wheel drive |
| Suspension | MacPherson struts front, transverse leaf spring rear |
| Brakes | front discs |
| Steering | rack and pinion |
| Award | European Car of the Year 1970 |
| Built in Italy | 2,776,000 saloons and estates, 330,800 coupés |
History of the Fiat 128
A new plant and a new layout
Fiat built an entirely new factory at Rivalta di Torino, north-west of Turin, specifically to manufacture the 128. The engineering was Dante Giacosa’s and the engine was designed by Aurelio Lampredi. The car was noted for its relatively roomy passenger and cargo volume, which Fiat advertised by saying that mechanical features consumed only 20 per cent of the vehicle’s volume.
Why the layout mattered
Front-wheel drive had already been brought to small, inexpensive cars by BMC, first with the Mini in 1959 and then with the larger 1100/1300 series in 1962, and Fiat set out in the mid-1960s to compete with the latter. Alec Issigonis’s design had the transmission and engine sharing a single oil sump and put the radiator at the side of the engine, where it drew heated rather than cool air; servicing the clutch often required removing the engine.
The 128 did things differently. Giacosa’s arrangement mounted the engine transversely with unequal-length drive shafts and a compact clutch release mechanism designed by Ettore Cordiano. Fiat had tested the idea for five years on the Autobianchi Primula, a model from a less market-critical subsidiary, which let the company resolve uneven side-to-side power transmission, uneven tyre wear and torque steer before the 128 went on sale. Engine and gearbox sat side by side without sharing lubricating fluid, and an electrically controlled cooling fan faced the fresh air flow. The layout proved flexible enough to be turned into a mid-engined arrangement for the Fiat X1/9 sports car.
Engine and chassis
The all-new 1.1-litre Fiat overhead-cam engine had an iron block with an aluminium head and a belt-driven single camshaft. The 128 was styled similarly to the 124 and 125 and came with rack-and-pinion steering, Pirelli 145R13 Cinturato or Michelin ZX radial tyres, front disc brakes, independent rear suspension with a transverse leaf spring and strut-type front suspension with an integral anti-roll bar. On launch it was available with a 1116 cc engine producing 55 PS, or 49 hp in the United States, in two-door or four-door saloon form.
Estates, Special and facelift
At the 1970 Turin Motor Show a three-door estate called the Familiare joined the range. The saloon and estate were refreshed in 1972 with revisions to the grille, bumpers, dashboard and steering wheel and the addition of a brake servo. In 1974 came the 128 Special, with rectangular headlights, chrome accents, extra equipment, better seats and upholstery and the option of a 1,290 cc engine producing 60 PS.
A proper facelift followed in 1976, with a new front and rectangular headlights across the range, bumpers with incorporated indicators, redesigned tail lights for the saloon and a new dashboard, plus changes to engines and gearbox to cut fuel consumption. The estate was renamed Panorama and given a single rear side window instead of the earlier split unit.
End of production
Production of all 128s except the base 1,100 cc model ended in 1979, after the Fiat Ritmo was introduced in 1978. The small three-door Panorama estate was dropped in 1980 and 128 production finally ended in 1985. In all, 2,776,000 saloons and estates were built in Italy, along with 330,800 coupés and three-door models. A road test by the British magazine Motor in April 1970 recorded a top speed of 137.4 km/h, 0 to 97 km/h in 15.5 seconds and overall fuel consumption of 10.3 litres per 100 km. In 2012 the journalist Jamie Kitman called the 128 a pioneer of the small cars we drive today.
Design and features
- Transverse front-wheel drive: engine and gearbox side by side, with unequal-length drive shafts.
- Compact clutch release: a mechanism designed by Ettore Cordiano made the layout practical.
- Room for people and luggage: mechanicals took only 20 per cent of the car’s volume, by Fiat’s claim.
- Modern chassis: rack-and-pinion steering, front discs and independent rear suspension.
- Proven on the Primula: five years of testing at Autobianchi preceded the 128.
Fiat 128 versions
- 128 saloon: two- and four-door, 1,116 cc and 55 PS at launch.
- 128 Familiare: three-door estate added at Turin in 1970.
- 128 Special: 1974 model with rectangular headlights and an optional 1,290 cc engine.
- 128 Panorama: the 1976 facelift estate with a single rear side window.
- 128 coupé: two- and three-door coupé version included in the range.
The 128 was developed alongside the Fiat 124 and replaced the Fiat 1100 in the range, before giving way to the Fiat Ritmo. Its drive train was reused in the Fiat X1/9, and more cars are in the Fiat collection.
Sources
- Fiat 128, English Wikipedia: development, front-drive layout, engine, versions, facelifts, road test
